<p>my student is down to 3 fine places. Need some impressions, insight, counsel, differences, observations?</p>
<p>Denison, Bucknell, Wake Forest ...</p>
<p>Your thoughts, please.</p>
<p>Denison grad here -- though from a (long!) time ago. We looked at Denison and Bucknell for my daughter. I suspect the student bodies at your three choices are very similar, but Denison's smaller size would make a difference, I imagine. For some, that would be a plus -- it was for me. My D wanted someplace larger. All good choices. Good luck!</p>
<p>This is simple - Wake Forest of course!
They play Navy in football! ;)</p>
<p>DD1 attends Denison (did not look at the other two). She loves the school, the town, her teachers. She has lost 15 lbs walking up and down the hills to/from class. The school is very welcoming of all types and there are activities for virtually everyone.</p>
<p>I'm struck by the difference in location between Denison and Bucknell on the one hand (very small towns around an hour from a city) and Wake Forest. The former two are more or less in the midwest at least by feel, while Wake Forest is obviously in the south. All else being equal, I'd prefer being in a city, but of course your student may feel differently.</p>
<p>All three are great choices. I am more familiar with Bucknell University & Wake Forest University than with Denison. My impression is that Bucknell is similiar to Colgate University & Dartmouth College regarding school culture. Long ago, I attended summer school at WFU and loved it, although Winston Salem is not the best Southern city. The decision really depends upon factors other than school name or reputation. Interesting mix of size in student populations of 2,200, 3,500 & 4,500. Average freshman retention rate is 95% at Bucknell, 94% at WFU and 89% at Denison. Losing 11% of the freshman class at a small school like Denison might be a bit disconcerting.</p>
<p>I would give Wake the academic leg up followed by Bucknell. I would say Bucknell has the best social life followed by Denison. I would choose Wake or Bucknell.</p>
<p>My son thought Bucknell had <em>the</em> prettiest girls of all the schools he visited. YMMV!</p>
<p>Wake is one of the schools known for NOT having grade inflation- i.e. hard grading.
I think Bucknell has at least as strong an academic reputation as Wake.</p>
<p>I was recently told by a fairly recently retired professor from another Ohio school that the students at Denison were known for having fancier cars than the professors.</p>
<p>I have several friends who graduated from Denison thirty years ago, and over the years they confirmed that there were a lot of highly-indulged wealthy kids there at that time. (Including some of my friends. :) )</p>
<p>I have absolutely no idea how prevalent this really is these days.</p>
<p>I would add that the people I know who went to Denison are all intelligent and creative.</p>
<p>FWIW, of course.</p>
<p>Bucknell grad here.
My cousin attended Denison long ago, but eventually graduated from Lehigh.
All three have gorgeous campuses, and probably similar cultures- strong Greek scenes to factor in.</p>
<p>Bucknell has strong engineering faction, and larger student body.</p>
<p>Does she have any idea where she would like to live after graduating?
Bucknell has better rep in NE, Denison is less known out here.</p>
<p>I love Lewisburg.
I would be happy to answer any questions, feel free to PM me if you would like any more information.</p>
<p>Hi WhistlePig;
My son strongly considered Wake. Hoped to get some scholarship money there but didn't come through. Beautiful campus. Great faculty. Friendly folks.
One thing I would consider is the southern culture. Some love it - some hate it. My son graduated from a high school class that experienced one of the highest transfer (or failure) rates of any class in the schools history. Our GC said that one of the factors was "difficulty in adjusting to a southern culture." Lots of kids transfered out of places like Wake, Clemson, Vanderbilt and UGA.
One of my son's friends left Wake after one semester. Transfered to PSU (I know "night and day"). Reports that she hated the greek scene and never felt like she could fit in. I guess some kids like a bigger environment.
Another kid we know is doing just fine there...has found a religious group that helped him connect to the non-drinkers. Works VERY hard though - and is not thrilled with his GPA.
Don't know anything about Denison. We do know some happy Bucknell kids. Seems like a pretty ideal place if you can afford it. Academic reputation seems close to Wake.
Good luck!!</p>
<p>Wake Forest aka "Work Forest"</p>
<p>Devoted Wake grad here. S2 attending Denison next yr. No experience w/ Bucknell. </p>
<p>Just to set the geographic record straight on CC -- </p>
<p>Denison is easy walk down the hill to picturesque village of Granville, where students can get food, basics (not many extras). 5-10 mi from towns with more, 30 min to Columbus, on same eastern side of city as Easton (large shopping district). Columbus airport is 30-45 min from campus (there are shuttles from campus available) --and it's a Southwest Air hub, so flights are prevalent and relatively cheap. 1 hr. flight to Baltimore Washington Int'l, super cheap fare.</p>
<p>The Wake campus, in contrast, is situated in a nice suburban residential portion of the city, so that walking to off-campus dining, etc is significantly farther (even walk to nice Reynolda Village shops/restaurants is farther than walk to Granville). Friends with current students say most have cars and feel they are "needed." As for "parking lot checks," I have never seen as many Range Rovers in a student parking lot as at Wake (even at Washington & Lee where S1 is a student)! Flights are far more limited as well.</p>
<p>Re Wake and driving: our friend with a son at Wake reports that freshman are regularly picked up and driven to off-campus frat parties. Our friends son was not interested in the greek scene and reported that much of his freshman dorm would "disappear" for most of the weekend. He's doing fine (found other circles of friends) and really loves the place. But it was an adjustment at first...and a surprise for him. And yeah...we saw the Range Rovers too...</p>
<p>Indeed Denison 30 years ago was very preppy and full of East Coast kids on the wealthier side. I understand it has changed substantially, thanks to several strong presidents. </p>
<p>When I attended, I was definitely counter-culture "downhill" artsy type, as was my husband. We both had extremely satisfying relationships with professors and found mentors who altered the course of our lives. the serious kids were there, but it took a little looking.</p>
<p>I believe Greek life has been brought under control somewhat by closing frat houses as residences. I loved Granville... and understand that Easton has some of the best shopping in the country.</p>
<p>An aside -- husband and I met there ... and this year on February 14th, we received a specially made Valentine's Day card from Denison, clearly sent to alumni couples. Nice touch, I thought.</p>
<p>As I said early, D chose to go elsewhere -- (in reality because she wanted a larger school in an urban area), but largely I think because she was mortified while touring campus when we pointed out the tree where her parents first kissed. Ew!!</p>
<p>Every single day this process strikes me more and more like the Miss America contest. The promoters are bound and determined to try and convince us that this is more about intelligence, opportunity, raising the "glass ceiling," and uplifting scholarship than it is about classy chasses strutting the runway in underwired, uplifting underwear and spike heels. </p>
<p>Truly, I am confused ... :confused:</p>
<p>No real help to offer here, other than knowing that WF and Bucknell are both great schools.</p>
<p>When I was in HS in NJ back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, I looked at Bucknell and WF. My parents had lived near Wake when I was a baby, and when we went to see Bucknell they both commented on how much it reminded them of Wake Forest.</p>
<p>Then I used my superior teenaged reasoning: Bucknell is so much closer to home, why would I go to Wake? Wake was (at the time) so much cheaper than Bucknell, why would I go to Bucknell? And thus were both schools eliminated from my list.</p>
<p>Your son has 3 great choices here, sounds like he can't go wrong.</p>
<p>"Does she have any idea where she would like to live after graduating?
Bucknell has better rep in NE, Denison is less known out here."</p>
<p>If she is interested in living in the South, this same factor would argue for Wake. The other two are not known well there (especially Denison).</p>
<p>^^^ exactly Hunt- as parent of Junior and Sophomore in college I realize these years pass faster than high school. </p>
<p>Makes sense to me to let the final geographic destination be a guide.</p>